WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 7, 2015… Emphasizing its global reach, SURTEX®, North America’s premier event for the selling and licensing of original art and design, will host some 300 exhibitors, including heavyweights from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, for its 2015 edition, May 17-19, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The roster of exhibitors includes 50+ newcomers representing a mix of studios, agents, and U.S. and international vendors.
“We are delighted to welcome both returning and new exhibitors to what promises to be an outstanding edition of SURTEX,” said Liz Crawford, vice president and group show director. “Attendees can expect a unique and diverse collection of the industry’s best art and design for sale or license.”
The exhibitors are distributed among SURTEX’s three key sections: Art + Brand Licensing – the largest section of the market – with approximately 200 exhibitors offering creatives for license; Atelier, with designs exclusively for sale from roughly 80 exhibitors and for a multitude of product categories; and ReSource HuB, with some 20 technology and business resource providers. SURTEX attracts some 5,500+ manufacturers and brands that license art for finished products in industries such as fashion, home goods, stationery, furniture and more. Exhibitor Gary Levine, owner/president of Roaring Brook Art Company, Inc., said, “We had a great show in 2014. We were busy from start to finish for three solid days with pre-scheduled appointments, as well as very productive quality meetings with new people, who we haven’t done business with too.” Roaring Brook Art Company publishes and licenses decorative art to the home furnishings and gift industries, with wholesale distribution of art to major national retail chains, regional stores, mail order and catalog companies.
Newcomers to Art + Brand Licensing for 2015 include Amy Lighthall (USA), Dot Dash Design Ltd (UK), Helen Exley (UK) and JQ Licensing (USA). These companies join notable returning exhibitors, including Art Makers International, INC –AMI! (USA); Courtney Davis Inc. (USA); Ingrid by Nutshell Designs (USA); Jewel Branding & Licensing (USA); Maret’s Art (USA); MHS Licensing (USA); Paul Brent Designer, Inc. (USA); Roaring Brook Art (USA); Sue Zipkin Designs (USA); and Wild Apple Licensing (USA).
First-time participants in the Atelier section include Astrid Davidse Design & Colour Concept (Netherlands), Katrien Soeffers (France), Lovely Bird Designs (USA) and Pattern Pod (USA). These newcomers join returning exhibitors, including Art Cottage (UK); Artwork Design Ltd. (UK); Colwill & Waud (UK); Design Works International (USA); Diane Harrison Designs Ltd. (UK); Lauren Wan (USA); LyLove Studio (USA); and Roy and Jane Evans Designs Ltd. (UK).
ReSource HuB will feature a variety of technology and business resources supplier, including Carpenter and Company (trend consultants); First2Print (digital textile printing); Kids a la Mode (trend consultants); Pantone (color authority and provider of color systems and technology); and Pointcarre (textile software), among others.
An additional exhibit floor highlight in 2015 will be Crewest Studio’s Gallery Showcase (GSCS), a curated installation of graffiti art, street art and live painting produced by the Los Angeles-based firm. Dynamic live work from renowned urban contemporary artists including Man One, Isaias Crow, Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca and Codak will be juxtaposed with their gallery art, redefining preconceived ideas about the artistic and cultural significance of urban contemporary art and its appeal within the commercial art licensing trade..
Beyond exhibits, the SURTEX Conference will feature three days of intense design intelligence, with programming that will be presented in three distinct educational tracks — CORE, ADVANCED and TREND & BEYOND, to complement the market experience. As part of the 10-part seminar series, design and licensing experts will address best business practices. A wide variety of categories, such as licensing, monetizing art and trend-spotting, will be among topics covered for an audience of art buyers and licensees. SURTEX’s 2015 conference program information and registration is available online at www.surtex.com.
SURTEX’s slate of events will include announcement of the grand prize winner of designext®, an annual international design competition judged by a panel of industry professionals, on Monday, May 18. Exhibitors also can enjoy networking opportunities at an end-of-day cocktail reception on that same day at the Javits Center.
SURTEX is the annual tradeshow for the surface design industry, bringing together owners and creators of surface design (artists, designers, studios, agents, brands and licensors) with manufacturers, retailers and marketers utilizing surface design for product development needs. Since 1986, SURTEX has been the single event and global resource offering the full scope of art selling and licensing under one roof. The 2015 edition, will present some 325 exhibitors featuring the work of over 1,200 artists and designers from around the world. Exhibitor inquires can be directed to John Erich at [email protected]